Nut structure



Jan. 7, 1936. A. c. SWANSTROM 2,026,757

NUT STRUCTURE Filed July 24', 1934 INVENTOR.

AT RNEY.

Patemed Jan. 7, 1936 NUT STRUCTURE Arthur Carl Swanstrom, Irvington, N.J., assignor to Elastic Stop Nut Corporation, a corporation of NewJersey Application July 24, 1934, Serial No. 736,657

8 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in nut structures and is disclosedherein in connection with lock nuts designed to be secured to sheetmetal or similar structures.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a nutwhich may be easily and securely attached material. A furt to a sheet ofmetal or other her object of the invention is the provision of improvedmeans for securing a nut or the like to lar material. Another object ofthe invention is r the provision of i a sheet of metal or othersimimproved means for securing a lock' nut against rotation with respectto the structure to which it i s attached. A still further obrotationthereon. vention to provide It is also an object of the ina nut having athreaded opening which is so formed that the threads may not which is soformed that the threads may not be easily stripped therefrom.

Still further objects-and advantages 'of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description, taken with the accompanying drawingwherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a nut embodying showingthe same in position'to be secured to a sheet of metal or the presentimprovements and other material;.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the manner in which the improvednut is secured to a sheet metal structure or Fig. 3 is a plan the like;view of a nut with the present improvements embodied therein;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing a slightlymodified form of nut; and

' Fig. 5 is a similar view showing. a still further modified form ofnut.

Although various features of the invention are susceptible of use withother forms of nuts, the improvements are disclosed herein in connectionwitha lock nut having a body portion ID and a shank ll exten engagementwithin a suitable opening [2 in a sheet of metal or ding from one sidethereof for other material l3 to which the nut is to be secured. Thesurface M of the shank II is preferably tapered in order to providetight frictional engagement within the opening l2 when the nut is forcedinto position and secured with respect to the sheet l3.

A shoulder 15 ,i

5 provided on the body portion I ID at the junction of the shank Htherewith for engagement with the nut is secure one face of the sheet [3when d to the sheet. The free end the nut.

of the shank H is provided with a riveting skirt l6 which is of such athickness as to permit it to be turned outwardly into engagement withthe sheet [3 and clamp the edge of the opening l2 between the same andthe shoulder l5. 5

As shown in Figs. 1 and 20f the drawing, the diameter of the shank Hadjacent the shoulder I5 is larger than the diameter of the opening it!in the sheet I3, and the shank tapers to .a diameter at its oppositeendwhich is less than the diameter of the opening I2. With such a structurethe tapered surface of the shank is drawn into tight frictionalengagement with the wall of the opening I2 when the riveting skirt I6 isturned over to clamp the edge of the sheet surrounding the opening l2against the shoulder 15.

The side of the body portion of the nut opposite the shank H is providedwith an enlarged recess I! for receiving a washer it! of vulcanizedfiber or similar material, the washer being retained within the recessby turning the edge I9 into gripping engagement therewith. A threadedopening 20 extends from the recess I! through the body portion l0 andthe shank ll, the threads preferably terminating adjacent the base ofthe riveting skirt [6. The extension of the threaded opening 20 into theshank It provides a nut structure from which it is much more difiicultto strip the threads than in structures wherein a threaded opening isprovided in the body portion only of The opening 2| in the fiber washerI8 is unthreaded and its diameter is slightly less than the diameter ofthe threaded opening 20 for .reasons which are well understood by thoseskilled in this art. 35

In attaching the nut to a sheet metal structure or the like, the sheetof material is provided with suitable openings I! of a diameter slightlysmaller than the diameter of the larger end of the shank II, asheretofore described, in order that the shank may fit tightly within theopen-. ing when the nut is secured in position. Thexnut may be securedto the sheet by the use of cooperating dolly punches 22 and 23, theformer being shaped to fit the outer end of the nut in order not todeform the same, and the latter being so shaped as to turn the freeend'of the riveting skirt l6 outwardly into engagementwith the sheet l3and thereby securely clamp ti 2 edge of the opening l2 between theoutwardly turned skirt and the shoulder l5. This operation of clinchingor riveting the nut to the sheet serves to force the tapered shank llinto tight frictional engagement with the wall of the opening l2, andthisfrictional wedging engagement assists in securing the nut againstrotation with respect to the sheet.

In the modification shownin Fig. 4, the taper is omitted from the shankII and the surface is knurled or otherwise roughened as shown at 24.

.The diameter of the knurled shank is slightly greater than the diameterof the opening l2. A nut provided with such a knurled shank may besecured to a sheet of metal or other material in the same manner as anut with a tapered shank such as shown in Figs. land 2. In this case,however, the projections from the knurled surface will seat themselveswithin the wall of the opening in the sheet to thereby assist inpreventing rotation of the nut with respect to the rotation of a locknut such as disclosed herein.

Such nuts are frequently used in locations which are not sufficientlyaccessible to permit the employment of suitable tools for holding themagainst rotation when the cooperating bolts or screws are assembledtherewith. The frictional engagement of a lock nut of the general typeherein disclosed with its cooperating bolt is much greater than with anordinary nut of non-locking type, and it is therefore essential thateffective means be employed for holding the nut against rotation withrespect to the sheet to which it is attached. When a nut such asheretofore described is afiixed to a sheet of metal or other material,rotation of the nut with respectto the sheet is eifectively prevented bymeans of the structure wherein the edge of the openingthrough which theshank ll extends is firmly clinched between the riveting skirt l6 andthe shoulder l5. Rotation of the nut is further prevented by means ofthe frictional, wedging engagement of the tapered shank with the wall ofthe opening I2, or by the engagement of a knurled shank such as shown inFig. 4 with the wall of the opening, or by the use of a knurled, taperedshank such as shown in Fig. 5.

Whilethe present improvements are shown in connection with a singlethickness of sheet material, it will be readily understood that theimproved nut mas be secured to two or more thicknesses of material ifdesired. It will also be understood that the invention is not intendedto be limited to the specific details of structure shown herein, butthat such scope is to be accorded thereto as is defined .by the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by UnitedStates Letters Patent ist' 1. As a new article of manufacture, a clinchnut having a body portion, a shank portion extending from said bodyportion and a riveting skirt portion on the free end of said shankportion, there being a surface engaging shoulder at the juncture of thebody and shank portions of the nut, the outer surface of the shankportion having a decreasing taper in a direction away from the bodyportion of the nut, a bore through the nut, said bore being threaded inthe body portion of the nut and being recessed adjacent to the face ofthe nut opposite said shank portion, and a locking washer securedagainst rotation in said recess.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a clinch nut including a bodyportion having a plane surface engaging face, a shank portion extendingfrom said face and a riveting skirt portion on the free end of saidshank, there being a shoulder at the juncture of the shank portion withsaid face, the outer surface of the shank portion having a decreasingtaper in a direction away from said face, a bore through the nut, saidbore having a threaded portion in the body of the nut and extending pastthe plane of said face into the shank portion of the nut, a recess inthe bore adjacent theface of the nut opposite the first mentioned face,and a locking washer secured against rotation in said recess.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a clinch nut having a body portion,a shank portion extending from said body portion and a riveting skirtportion on the free end of said shank portion, there being a surfaceengaging shoulder at the juncture of the body and shank portions of thenut, the outer surface of the shank portion having a decreasing taper ina direction away from the body portion of the nut, a bore through thenut, said bore having a central threaded portion within the body andshank portions of the nut, a recess adjacent the end of the bore in thebody portion of the nut, a counterbore portion at the end of the boreopposite said recess,

and a locking washer secured against rotation and shank portions of thenut, the diameter of the shank portion at said juncture being greaterthan the diameter of the opening into which the shank portion isintended to be inserted for mounting the nut and the outer surface ofthe shank portion having a decreasing taper in a direction away from thebody portion of the nut, a threaded bore passing through the nut, andmeans associated with the body portion of the nut for frictionallylocking against rotation a threaded member screwed into said threadedbore.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a clinch nut adapted to be securedin a cylindrical opening through a plate structure, said nut having abody portion, ashank portion extending from said body portion and ariveting skirt portion on the free end of said shank portion, therebeing a surface engaging shoulder at the juncture of the body and shankportions of the nut, the diameter of the shank portion at said juncturebeing greater than the diameter of the opening-into which the shankportion is intended to be inserted for mounting the nut and the outersurface of the shank portion having a decreasing taper in the directionaway from the body portion of the nut to a diameter less than that ofsaid opening at the juncture of the shank portion with the skirtportion, a threaded bore through the nut, and means associated with thebody portion of the nut for frictionally locking against rotation athreaded member screwed into said threaded bore.

' juncture between the shank portion and said face tion of the nuting'through a plate structure, said nut including a a body portionhaving a plane face adapted to engage one face of said structure, ashank portion extending from said body portion and a riveting skirtportion on the free end of said shank portion, the diameter of the shankportion at the being greater than the diameter of the opening into whichthe shank portion is intended to be inserted for mounting the nut andthe outer surface of the shank portion having a decreasing taper in thedirection away fromv the body porto a diameter less than that of saidopening, a bore through thenut, said bore having a central threadedportion in the body portion of the nut and extending beyond the plane ofsaid face into the shank portion of the nut, a counterbore portion inthe skirt portion of the nut and a recess adjacent to the opposite endof the bore, and a locking washer secured against rotation in saidrecess.

7. The combination with a plate of rigid material having a circularopening therethrough, of

a clinch nut having a body portion, a shank portion projecting from oneface of said body portion and a riveting skirt portion at the free endof said shank portion, said shank portion having a diameter at thejuncture of the shank portion and said face greater than the opening andthe outer surface of the shank havinga decreasing taper in the directionaway from the body portion of the nut, said shank and skirt, portionsextending through said opening and said skirt portion being riveted overto draw saidface into engagement with one of the surfaces of said plateand to cause the part of said shank portion adjacent to said face todeform the metal of the engagement with diameter of said plate at theperiphery of said opening, whereby to lock the nut against rotation insaid opening due to pressure between the outer surface of said shankportion and the walls of the opening, a threaded bore passing throughsaid nut, and means associated with the body portion of the nut forfrictionaliy locking against rotation a member screwed into saidthreaded bore.

8. The combination with a metal sheet of substantialiy uniform thicknesshaving a cylindrical opening therethrough and a plane surface around theperiphery of said opening, of a clinch nut including a body portionhaving a plane face for said surface, a shank portion extending fromsaid face and a skirt portion at the free end of said shank portion,said shank portion having a diameter at the juncture between the shankportion and said face greater than the diameter of said opening and theouter surface of the shankportion having a decreasing taper in thedirection away from said face to a diameter less than that of saidopening, a bore through said nut, said bore having a central threadedpart in the body portion of the nut and extending beyond the plane ofsaid face into the shank portion of the nut, a recess adjacent to theend of the bore remote 'from said face and a counterbore portion at theopposite end of the bore, and a locking washer secured against rotationin said recess, the skirt portion, of the nut being riveted over to drawsaid face into engagement with the plane surface of said plate and tocause the tapered outer surface of the shank portion of the nut todeform the side walls of said opening laterally in the body portion ofthe nut.

and to thereby lock the nut against rotation in said opening due shankportion and the walls of the opening. V ARTHUR CARL SWANSTROM.

to lateral pressure between the

